Worst Health Habits For Kids
Unhealthy Kid Habits
by Karen Asp
The health of today's children is in jeopardy. "In the last 10 years, diabetes in children has doubled; there's a growing obesity epidemic among children, and we're seeing heart disease start in children," says Joel Fuhrman, M.D., family physician in Flemington, N.J., and author of "Eat for Health" and "Disease-Proof Your Child."
The consequences are so dire, in fact, that health authorities are now predicting that this generation of children will be the first to have a shorter life span than their parents. So what habits are putting kids in jeopardy?
Fuhrman pulled together the 10 worst offenders but issues this warning: "Parents can't force children to do anything they aren't doing themselves, which is why parents also need to change their habits to become better role models."
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1. Drinking soda
Soda is loaded with sugar (about 13 teaspoons per can) artificial sweeteners, caffeine and empty calories (about 150 in a regular soda). Plus, soda might displace healthy beverages like milk or water and cause tooth decay.
Bottom line: Nix soda from your child's diet and replace it with water, milk and other healthy beverages.
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2. Not exercising
Today's kids are leading inactive lifestyles, putting them at risk for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.
Bottom line: Make physical activity as important for your kids as brushing their teeth. By instilling the exercise habit in them when they're young, they'll be more likely to stick with it as adults. Just remember that kids learn by example, so get active with them.
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3. Eating processed and barbecued meats
Your kids might love baloney sandwiches and hamburgers, but processed and barbecued meats have been linked to cancer, especially colon cancer.
Bottom line: Steer your kids clear of this kind of meat, and instead, turn them on to more healthy, wholesome foods like fruits, veggies, beans, nuts and seeds.
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4. Being overweight
While it might be vogue to be heavy -- roughly 16 percent of kids aged two to 19 are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- that extra weight could cause your child serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Bottom line: Clean up your diet, and your family will follow. Likewise, become a regular exerciser, and encourage your children to get more active.
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5. Not eating enough fruits and veggies
Fruits and veggies are loaded with disease-fighting nutrients, which is why kids who don't eat enough are at greater risk for developing cancer and other chronic health conditions.
Bottom line: Make fruits and veggies the mainstay of meals, and your kids will easily get the servings they need. Check MyPyramid.gov to view fruit and veggie requirements for kids or try AOL Health's handy Veggie and Fruit Tracker to calculate daily requirements.
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6. Too many hours in front of the TV
Watching TV and playing video games are sedentary activities that encourage snacking and often replace physical activity. TV viewing also exposes your kids to risky behaviors like smoking and drinking, which could influence them.
Bottom line: Limit your kids' use of the TV and computer. Children under two years old should not watch any TV, while kids over two should be limited to no more than two hours of media time a day, per the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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7. Noshing sugary treats and foods
Your kids might go gaga over treats, but they're nutrient-poor, calorie-laden foods. Most are also made with refined grains, which have been linked to cancer. Plus, the more your kids eat these, the more they could begin craving them, which could eventually boost their weight.
Bottom line: Limit sugar in your children's diet as much as possible. Ban sugary cereals, cookies and candy from your pantry. Then become a savvy label reader, looking for hidden sugars in everything from granola bars toketchup and even pasta sauces. To satisfy a sweet tooth, serve fruit as a dessert or a snack.
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8. Eating fast food
"Fast food is for parents who don't care about their kids," Fuhrman says. By buying them fast food, you're giving them the lowest quality food, which adds calories, fat and little nutrition to their diets. The end result? You could wind up with an overweight, unhealthy child. Plus, if they're eating fried foods or food cooked at high temperatures, they're noshing cancer-causing compounds.
Bottom line: Boycott all fast food.
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9. Not getting enough vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to dozens of health conditions, including rickets, osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Sunshine is the best source of vitamin D, but most kids don't spend enough hours outside to get all they need. Plus, if you live in a northern climate, getting enough vitamin D in the winter can be impossible.
Bottom line: Make sure your child is getting 400 IU of vitamin D daily through a multivitamin and/or vitamin D supplement.
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Shelndav42 06:32:43 PM Dec 26 2008
did you know that almost all school foods are just warmed up..... not really cooked! Schools dont really have cooks anymore....just food servers!!! Also food pruducts are put out for bid to save money.... cheapest bid wins in order to save money regardless of quality?IN fact my company inflats prices in some counties that no one else ever bids on !!!
Shelndav42 06:15:02 PM Dec 26 2008
I dont cliam to know it all... But i will tell anyone that can make a differance? the more our schools cut back to meet fedaral guidlines (save money)the hungary kids come home and eat! also lunches are served way to early (save money) so cooks dont get overtime pay. this is all facts so before you reply check it out? PLEASE!!
Audisnowcat 05:58:51 PM Dec 26 2008
To all the know-it-alls who claim that fat people must stuff their face and it's all about calories in vs. calories out, then can you please explain to me why the thinnest people I know don't exercise and can eat a whole pizza by themselves? I also know people who were always thin, but thanks to being prescribed female horomones, blew up like a balloon? WITHOUT changing their eating or exercise habits? Stop with the ignorant and self-righteous assumptions. BTW I lost a ton of weight simply by cutting out diet soda. I now guzzle Red Bull, eat whatever I want and don't judge other people because I know that MANY different factors determine a person's weight.
TP13Fox 05:37:03 PM Dec 26 2008
Put simply you have to burn more than you consume to lose weight. If you burn approximately what you take in, you will maintain. There is no one pill solution and magic weight loss solution. Fitness is a custom tailoring, but you still have to get out there and be ACTIVE. When people say you are crazy for pushing yourself or running a certain distance, that's them trying to put you down for their own inadequacies.Want a good New Years Resolution? BAN FAST FOOD.--- Start there and be INCREMENTAL in what you do. Don't expect to jump into a marathon or weight lifting confrontation. CRAWL-WALK-RUN. Good luck.
Holy Aura Dragon 04:49:39 PM Dec 26 2008
I like how the first thing someone says is to stop stuffing your face if you want to lose weight.
Monib1969 03:43:48 PM Dec 26 2008
MarissaPwns I don't think we can blame it all on the food our kids our eating, I think we need to have more gym classes in schools. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Physical education is most definitely needed in school, we used to get an hour a day. Kids are there 8 hours a day and exercise will boost seratone levels and keep kids mebtally awake. HOWEVER one does not need an expensive gym membership to get healthy. There are plenty of "old school" exercises one can do at home and ITS FREE!!! All you need.... 2 chairs for triceps work (lose flabby arms), a bed for back exercises (lay w torso hanging off face down bend up/down), a long hall or push furniture out of the way in a living room for lunges, jumping jacks, squats, push ups, sit ups, jump rope for cardio and many more. PLUS a healthy diet, what goes in you need to burn, basic math 600 calories go in then burn 600 calories, do not load on carbs etc...
RuffNeck1215 03:42:11 PM Dec 26 2008
Get off the couch and stop stuffing your face!!! Thats how you dont get fat.
Monib1969 03:34:51 PM Dec 26 2008
MarissaPwns Report This! I don't think we can blame it all on the food our kids our eating, I think we need to have more gym classes in schools. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------I agree kids need physical education in school as well. Afterall they are there 8 hours a day and during winter months, most cannot get outside afterwards because it gets dark. However, you can also do "old school" exercises I grew up with before we had all this fancy equipment. All you need two chairs, a bed, a long hall for lunges, stairs etc.... All you need can be found in your home to get a workout, and it doesn't take up much room and ITS FREE!!!..... ie, pushups, sit ups, squats, jumping jacks etc.... PLUS a healthy diet. It's simple math, burn what you eat, if 300 calories go in, 300 need to be burned etc...
Maydarsirus 03:26:41 PM Dec 26 2008
Nvdesertdreamer - White flour is unhealthy for you (in several ways), and not everyone eats it. Your comment it very offending, and its people like you who effect others. Some people eat as a way to coop with things, some people (like me when I was young) inherited a gene from one of your family members, and some people were just born that way. Just because your "big" doesn't mean you eat unhealthy foods and are lazy. Saying comments like "People are obese because they are lazy and can't pull away from the table." just shows how ignorant and uncaring you are and also shows us you have the ability to do nothing but hurt us. I pray for the best of you and do hope one day you learn a lesson.
